Luminous sign



Patented Nov., 2l, it/)2.2.

MEM@

HERMAN C. HEATON, 0F BERWYN, LLNOIS.

LUBIINOUS SIG-N.

Application filed December 524, 1919.

in visibility ot the same in the dark is ac-l complished by means of luminous paint or the like dclining in whole or in part the figure or device represented.

ln the device of my invention l' have contemplated thc production ot' a sign of the class referred to,'which is simple, durable economical in construction and clearly legible at any reasonable distance.. I provide a sign of this character bv employing what l term a cellular construction. In other words, the luminous element is contained in a cell, the complete sign being made up of one or more cells ot a shape defining the.

character, indication or the like, which it is desired to represent.

'lhe cell as preferably constructed comprises a recess which forms part or all ot' the character to be represented and a transparent cover t'or the recess. The recess contains luminous material such as a compound ot radium. This material may or may not be cocxtensive with the recess. Preferably the luminous material is not coextensive with the recess deining the character or device which the cell represents, as by this means economy may be practiced in the use of the luminous material.

ln the latter construction the back face of the recess which is presented to the eye has a distinctive surface with reference 'to i the background surrounding therecess so ln this arial No. 347,085.

istie surface of the back face of the cell. '.lhe transparent cover seals the cell against the entry of moisture or other foreign sub-- stances, and it protects the luminous material from wear'or injury.

ln the preferred form of the invention I employ a white lpaint or enamel for the bottom part of thecell and deposit the lumi# nous paint which is of substantially the same color upon said background or in such'position that it does not affect the background. I may construct the cell in various specific forms. For instance, the cell may be built up of a thin sheet of material ot the desired thickness to tarnish the side\ 'alls of the cell. This sheet is cut out t0 form the figure o1' device to be represented and defines the lateral boundaries of the cell. upon the back plate or foundation of the shell. llpon the combination of plates there is placed the transparent cover plate. The luminous material is disposed within the cell thus formed. 'A 'The cell may also be formed of ainetallic stamping or a milled out plate having a recess or depression corresponding'to the outline of the'device or igureto be represented, also provided with a transparent cover plate.

While l shall describe my invention as embodying a particular structure and arrangement ot parts, it will readily appear that by slight modifications changes may be made in the structure, such as the placing of the luminous element on the side walls of the cells, or at the juncture of the side walls and bottom of the cells, without departing from the spirit of the invention. l

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detail description and the appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing," in which:

It is superimposed l Figure l is a front elevation of a sign v embodying the improvements ot' the invention;

l Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 ot' Figure l;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional-view gf modified form of the-invention;

Figure 4 shows in section a form of cell employing a metallic body, and

.Figures 5, 6v and 7 show modifications of vthe vsaine. Y

.V Referring more particularly to the draaimg, wherein one embodiment cfm?! .ini/en roo tion is illustrated, ldesignates the base or back plate of the sign, 11 representing` the filler or plate in which the design is outlined, and 12 representing the cover plate. is shown, the cover plate .12 is transparent and is coextensive with the back plate 'and filler. However, it Will be readily apparent that the transparent surface 12 need not be coextensive with the other plate, but may be opaque and provided with transparent openings. In fact, the transparent plate may be entirely omitted if desired, 4but as Will appear later, the provision of the same enhances the durability of' the device and serves as a protective measure for the luminous element described later.

The filler 11 may be constructed of heavy cardboard or the like and the base plate 10 of White Celluloid or any other material having a light reecting surface. The filler is' provided with a plurality of openings 13 formingcclls 1st and 15, of suitable shape to outline a letteror numeral, as the case may be.- .By virtue of the opening; 13 correspondingly defined portions ofthe upper surface :of the base plate 10 are exposed as at 16 and 17, these surf-aces being light reflecting.

Luminous paint or the like is pla-ced vvithy in the cells 14,` and 15 on. the reflecting sur# faces 16 and 17, as at 18 and 19. The luminous paint 1s placed on the surfaces 16 and -17 in the manner best shown in Figure 1,

conforming to the outline of the figure represented, but being noncoextensive with the yreflecting surfaces '16 and. 17.

A The outer surface E20 of the filler is preferably light absorbing, so that the outline of the numeral or letter represented will be accentuated. It will also be noticed that the side Walls of the cells 111 and 15 yare light reflecting so as to cooperate with the bottom Wall to enhance the illumination given forth by the luminous element.

In Figure 3 a modified form of the invention is shown, the backing' or base plate `21 having a light reflecting surface 22and receiving thereon the ller 23 provided with a suitable opening 24am' a plurality of the same, to represent a numeral or, letter. A transparent plate-25 is provided, and instead of mountin the luminous element on the' refleeting surface of the back'plate, I mount theIsa-me on Ithe under surface of the trans- 'parent` plate as at 26. Thus the illuminatio i given forth by the luminous element is reflect d outwardly as indicated by the dotteciline 27 from the reflecting surface.

As' in; the first desired form of my inven- V,

tion, the luminous element is non-cuentensive with the reflecting surface or the surface on which theisame is mounted. The plate Q5 being transparent permits the luminous element to loe seen through id plate, so that the light from both sides of said luminous element is used. in this ferm oi .a thin ribbon along the center of the same.

the invention the outer surface 28 of the filler is light absurbing similar to the surface 2() of the filler 11.

It will be readily appreciated that the association of the backing` plate, filler and transparent protecting,r plate may be accomplished by means of cement or'other adhesive, or the same may be clamped in a suitable frame, or in any other manner desired.

In the use of the device the feature of the luminous element being non-coextensive with the surface on which the same is mounted, produces illumination of the numeral or letter which does not blur, anil which-is clearly legible at some distance. i The device is particularly adapted for use in Pullmancars, for house street numbers, keyhole plates, labels, signs and the like.

In Figure 4, I have yshown the cell made of metal 'stamping with a transparent plate for a cover. The metal backing 30 is depressed as by stamping as shown-at 31 to Aform the space 32. rlhe cover of transparent material 33 is held inplace by folding the 90 edges 34 over the edges of the plate 33.

The interior of the depressed portion is preferably coated with a reflecting material 35 and the luminous material 36 is laid in In the form shown in Figure 5 the luminous material 36 is coextensive with the bottom of the cell. Otherwise the construction is like that shown ,in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows the adaptation of 4the 100 Walls 38 to a shape forming a refiector for castin the light outwardly in a forward direction. The Walls are formed into an approximately parabolic shape and the luminous material 36 is deposited adjacent the focus of the parabola. Any other suitable shape may be employed. or instance in Figure 7 the cell is formed by a V shaped groove with the luminous material. 37 distributed on each side of the groove so that the cell may be more plainly-visible from 'each side.

While I have shown and described a specific form of my invention, I dolnot limit myself to the details thereof, but reserve the. right to make certain changes' therein that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the claims.

I claim: z 1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a recessed member, the re- 2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a recessed member, the recesses in said ineiiiber defining the indicia to be illuminated, a self-luminous element in' said recesses covering only' a fractional part ofl the surface of each recess, said liuiiinous element being located inedially in said recess whereby the remaining area of said recess to either side of said element constitutes a light reflecting surface for reflecting light diffused by said element and any light entering from an outside source.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a sign having indicia thereon the characters of which are f'ornied as reflecting surfaces, a band of light absorbing and radiating material extending along the reflecting surfaces defining the characters,

such band of' light radiating material constituting only a fractional part of the width of each character, whereby'the light radiated froni said band will be reflected from the reflecting surfaces constituting the remaining portion of the character. i

4. A sign comprising a base plate having a reflecting surface, a filler having a-light absorbing surface and provided -with openings to form cells when the filler is placed on the base plate. a luminous element disposed in the cells but of less area than that of the cells, and a transparent cover on said filler.

5. A. sign comprising a base plate having a light reflecting surface, a filler having a plurality of openings therein-defining a figure to be represented and having alight. .absorbing surface, atransparent cover, -av luminous element in said opening but of less area than the saine, and means connecting said base plate, filler and transparent cover to lierinetically sealthe opening.

CEB

6 A sign, coiiiprisin cellular enclosures .shaped to define the desired indicia and having one transparent wall and the remaining walls reflecting,v and luminous material defining a relatively small portion of the in dicia, the major portion of' the indicia being visible because illuminated by the luminous material.

7. A sign comprising a reflecting plate, a

' spacing plate overlying said reflecting plateA and cut away to expose portions of said reflecting plate defining the desired indicia., and ineans for illuminating the exposed p01'- tioiis of' said reflect-ing plate. I

s. sign comprising` a reflecting plate, a spacing plate overlying said reflecting plate and cut away to expose portions of said reflecting plate defining the desired indicia, and a cover plate overlyincr, said spacing plate to form complete enc osures of said cut away portions.

9. A sign comprising a reflecting plat-e, a spacing plate overlying said reflecting plate and cut away to expose portions of said reflecting plate defining the desired indicia, a cover plate overlying said spacing plate to form complete enclosures of said cut away port-ions, and means within said enclosures defining a relatively small centrally located portion of said indicia, for illuminating the entii'e enclosure.

10. A. sign coin'prisinr enclosuressli'aped to define tlie desired in icia, said enclosures A having transparent front walls and reecting side and rear walls, and al narrow central strip of material in said enclosure emitting light .in all direct-ions. u

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of December, 1919.

HERMAN C. HEATON. 

